Mitochondria and neurodegenerative diseases: the promising role of nanotechnology in targeted drug delivery

ABSTRACT

Introduction: Neurodegenerative diseases (NDs) represent a group of different clinical entities that, despite the specific primary etiologies, share a common signature in terms of a general mitochondrial dysfunction with consequent oxidative stress accumulation. As these two events occur early during neurodegenerative process, they could be considered ideal therapeutic targets.

Areas covered: This review describes the nanotechnologies explored for the specific targeted delivery of drugs, in order to precisely direct molecules into the intended site, where they can practice their therapeutic effects.

Expert opinion: Conventional drug delivery systems cannot provide adequate restoration and connection patterns that are essential for a functional recovery in NDs. Since orally delivered antioxidants are easily destroyed by acids and enzymes, only a small portion of consumed antioxidants gets absorbed, leading to low bioavailability and low concentration at the target site. In this scenario, the identification of new proenergetic drugs, in combination with the development of methods for selectively delivering biologically active molecules into mitochondria, will potentially launch new therapeutic approaches for the treatment of NDs, where energetic imbalance plays a central role.

KEYWORDS:

• Neurodegenerative diseases
• oxidative stress
• ROS
• mitochondrial targeting
• drug targeting
• nanomedicine

Article highlights

• This review focuses on the advantages offered by nanotechnology in mitochondrial-targeted drug delivery for the treatment of neurodegenerative diseases (NDs).

• NDs share a common signature in term of a general mitochondrial dysfunction with oxidative stress accumulation.

• The central nervous system (CNS) is particularly susceptible to oxidative stress.

• The mitochondrial dysfunction and the oxidative stress could be considered as therapeutic targets.

• Conventional pharmaceutical approaches cannot provide an adequate restoration of the energetic imbalance in NDs because of lack of selectivity.

• A selective delivering system to specifically target mitochondria is needed to potentiate the therapeutic effects of proenergetic drugs.

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Declaration of interest

The authors have no relevant affiliations or financial involvement with any organization or entity with a financial interest in or financial conflict with the subject matter or materials discussed in the manuscript. This includes employment, consultancies, honoraria, stock ownership or options, expert testimony, grants or patents received or pending, or royalties.

Additional information

Funding

This paper was not funded.